Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-13

whether that discrimination has existe
!. snce tne passage oi the Interstate Con
I'm la.s. The witness replied that
THE FOURTH CLAUSE
oi tne law had been suspended by the Inte,
staee Commission. He thought il in thi
investigation the Commission could get a
one-tenth Of the truth regarding the dir
crlmination it would be doing we'll. Com
missioner Littler asked how the witnes
explained an item of $4,000 which an
peared on the Union Pacific books as re
Dates to the Boston and ColoradoeSmelt
ing Company. The witness said the tran
sacuon was one not affecting that com
pany, but mining company in Montana
which had q contract with the Unior
facinc to carry lot OF low grade ore al
$as as 90 q ton, instead OF the regular rate o
$zz. The Boston and Colorado Company
bought the ore after the making of that
contract, and bought it on the condition
that the freight would be $3.50 a ton
The benefit OF the rebate insured really to
the Montana Company and not to thu
Boston and Colorado Company. The orr
could not have been sold by the Montana
Company but for the low freight rate.
GOVERNOR PATTERSON INQUIRED
Of Senator Hill what part the Union Pacific
Railroad Company had taken in influencing
politics Or legislation. The Senator said it
had taken very active part, but he was
not here to speak of matters of which he
| had no actual personal knowledge. Pressed
| to give the names of parties, he said that
| one Ritchie Williams, of Kansas, had been
in attendance q good deal at the Legisla-
| ture OF Colorado, and If not lobbying for
the railroads. he, (the witness,) did not
know what Williams had been in attend
ance for. The Senator did not care to
make specific charges against people, but
would give some names to the Commission
OF parties who could tell them something if
they would. He gave an illustration to
show how much interest the railroad COM
pany could take in an election by
CITING AN INCIDENT
in connection with the last senatorial elec-
tion. A member Of the Colorado Leeisla-
ture while the election was pending was
obliged to 60 to Nebraska on urgent bust
ness and the Union Pacific, Senator Hill
said, furnished that member With q special
train for the purpose. That must have
been done at large expense to the company,
but the Union Pacific company, Senator
Hill said, understood was no worse than
other companies IN regard to political in
reference. All the companies had 'chipped
in" by contributing money to effect that
election. He had at least been SO informed,
but it would be difficult to fasten thing
Commissioners thought this charge a
serious one. Commissioner Littler asked
whether the witness meant to say that
there was
a combination OF railroads in Colorado to
political or legislative action by
the use of money. The witness believed it
was done by the companies appointing one
man. whom they would supply with money
to accomplish their purpose. The Com
missioners pressed the Senator to give the
name OF some of the parties, SO that their
testimony might be secured. He said he
would furnish the names of parties from
whom the Commissioner could get informa-
tion if the parties were willing to tell what
they know. Senator Hill was cross-exam-
inedIby Mr.. Willard Teller, on behalf OF the
Union Pacific Company. He admitted
that he was stockholder in the Montana
the $67 900 of rebate from the Union Pa
cific. He admitted that the legislature of
had appointed committee to
investigate the charges of corruption in
connection with tho. Senatorial contest
that resulted in the election of Senator H.
W. Teller. The witness admitted that he
had gone before that committee, and had
REFUSED TO DISCLOSE
in his possession regarding
The charges of corruption. He had SO re-
used because the committee, with the ex-
,eption of one or two men, was composed
of the meanest and most false and dis |
honest of men. Mr.. Teller asked the wit |
1ess if he would not give this Commission
,he information he had refused to give to |
the legislative committee. He replied that
some of it had passed from his memory
and some had been obtained from
sources, which he would not |
ike to expose. Mr.. Teller asked the |
witness il he refused to disclose the in
formation. The witness replied that he |
lid not suppose it to be the object of this |
to investigate as to what |
members of the Colorado Legislature sold
5heir votes. The Commissioner said it |
would be part of their duty to investl' |
rate a matter of that sort if the Union Pa |
;ific Railway Company was in any way |
connected with it. The witness said th9
most he could do was to state bis belief, |
BASED on what he saw and on the sur
.oundine circumstances. The Commits |
,ioner sreuuested the Senator to furnish /
hem with the names of all parties who |
could throw any light on the subject.
THE RAILROAD DEBT.
AS to the question OF the settlement Of
,he railroad debt to the Government, Sena- |
tor Hill was of the opinion that the Union |
Pacific Company had shockingly abused it's
privileges, and he for one would be glad to |
Zee the road turned into the hands OF the /
United States Government and have it run |
a. the Postoffice Department was run. |
Littler asked how the Gov |
,rnment could do that in view OF the deci- |
sion of the Supreme Court that neither the |
interest nor principle Of the bonds would be |
due till 1897. In reply to this Senator
Hill said Congress had reserved the right |
TO alter and amend the charter |
Of the company, and could SO amend it as |
TO secure the purpose he had mentioned. |
The Government had already amended
the original act since it had passed it. |
Com missioner Anderson asked whether the
could run the road without
nartisa nship. Senator Hill said everybody |
was satisfied with the conduct of the Post |
office Department. Commissioner Littler
that in that matter the Govern
ment had no competition. The Senator
admitted that was
FACTOR IN THE PROBLEM
but thought the Government could work
the road more in the interest OF the people
than the company had worked it. Com
missioner Anderson asked whether there
was not danger that great railroad run
by the Government would become n lm'
nense nolitical machine. The witness
thought not. He knew of no other plan |
that would secure the debt. In reply to
Governor Peterson, the witness said he